5 other times you share your opinion about businesses

5 other times you share your opinion about businesses

Nowadays, there are hundreds of ways you and others can share your opinions about companies and the products and services they distribute.

Online surveys for money aren't the only way you're letting organizations know how you think and feel. Every day people voluntarily devote their time to sharing ideas in other ways that don't earn any rewards. If you're spending time doing one of these other things, why not switch to online surveys and make a little extra money at the same time?

1. Business reviews
Before you head to that restaurant or visit a store, you might check its reviews online to see what other people have to say about the location. On the other hand, many consumers find those ratings just by searching for nearby stores. According to the Yelp Blog for Business Owners, 85 percent of consumers used the Internet to find local businesses in 2012.

For every customer that reads those ratings while looking for a store, there are others actually writing the reviews.

2. Product reviews
Of course, you don't have to travel to a brick and mortar location for the things you need. Online marketplaces are a dime a dozen - from your local business's website to enormous electronic shopping centers like eBay or Amazon. But those resources wouldn't be nearly as successful if customers didn't trust what they were buying.

That's why product reviews are so valuable. Hundreds of people share their experiences after buying an item, and others can use those perspectives to choose whether to buy that product or find another. With paid product surveys, you're never taking a chance on an item. You get the product for free, share your opinions honestly and keep the item afterward.

3. Questionnaires and feedback slips
You've probably been to a restaurant that gives out a questionnaire with the check. It's used to gauge how much you liked the experience and to help servers and other members of the staff cater to future customers more effectively. They're a lot like the paid surveys you would take online - except most customers aren't compensated for the feedback.

4. Telemarketers and snail mail surveys
They're becoming less common today, but you've probably still had at least one interaction with a telemarketer or received a questionnaire from a business in the mail. Like those feedback slips at restaurants or other stores, mail surveys and the opinions you share with telemarketers don't always come with a reward. Moreover, you probably haven't heard too many people brag about their time on the phone with a telemarketer.

5. Word of mouth
Even if you haven't written anything down, spoken with a marketing representative or shared on opinion online, you've still probably talked about your experience with a business to a friend. Those conversations impact stores and other organizations, but there's no way for them to improve if you share those thoughts with just your friends. Instead, take your opinions to the Web, where they can help fix the problem and earn you a little money at the same time.

Why sign up?

Nobody's voice is as powerful as yours. As a consumer, you are uniquely positioned to share your perspective with businesses, telling them what you expect in order for them to receive your money in a transaction. So, why not make money online by taking surveys that provide information to your favorite company?